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Monday, January 26, 2015

If you are at home in the northern hemisphere, winter might be taking toll on your body. Generally, it is assumed that people who consume plenty of raw fruit and vegetable are healthier than those who do not. This is probably true, but even the healthiest people my have a small bout with the cold virus.

The best way to stay healthy is to prevent infection, but once you get infected, the next best thing is to fight it back naturally, with powerful foods, herbs and spices.

The main ingredients in this recipe are well known and researched for their anti-viral properties. They are powerful antioxidants with the ability to boost the immune system. To strengthen your immune response you should use them as often as you can.

Elderberry - is known for its natural antiviral properties and its activity against many known strains of the influenza virus;

Pour the smoothie into glasses. Garnish with bee pollen and enjoy in good company!

Wholesome ingredients:

Hawaiian white kiawe honey, German honey with propolis,

home-made elderberry syrup, bee pollen and ginger

Honey is absolutely miraculous, but as you may already know, bees produce more than "just" honey. Bee pollen, propolis, and royal jelly have been used since ages for their unique healing properties. This fact initiated a few products that you can now find on the market: honey with royal jelly, honey with propolis, honey with royal jelly and bee pollen, or the "royal flush" Bee Panacea. These products are rather expensive, but they are worth every penny. Since they are very powerful superfoods, you only consume a small dosage at a time. Give it a try.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Not everybody may know that, but people on raw food "diet" do party! You do not have to be an ascetic to enjoy healthy and nutritious food. So if you like parties, give one. You may discover that people who do not know much about raw food are really willing to try something "outlandish" for a change. And raw food party never disappoints. The food is healthy, beautiful and unlike cooked food, does not get cold on your serving table or a buffet.

Next to a large bowl of salad and a big tray of crudites, my Raw Nut Cheese and Pomegranate Party Ball is one of my favorite centerpieces. Once you've made a raw nut cheese, the ball is rather easy to make.

I used raw almonds to make my nut cheese. You can use cashews or macadamias if you prefer. Just remember that it takes a few days to make the cheese. Plan ahead.

If you do not know how to make a nut cheese, check my tutorial-cum-recipe for Spicy Macadamia Nut Cheese. You do not have to age your cheese for the party ball recipe, but you have to make sure that the cheese is firm enough or if will not form into a ball.

Combine nut cheese, honey and spices in a mixing bowl into a firm mass. Chill it in the fridge for a few minutes if necessary.

Form a ball out of the cheese and place it on an attractive platter. Decorate the ball with pomegranate arils. Ready!

Serve slightly chilled with raw crackers. And as always, enjoy it in good company!

Tip: If you have a dehydrator you can dehydrate pomegranate arils overnight. They whole or crushed they make a wonderful addition to salads or smoothies.

I realize that not all raw foodies are vegetarians or vegans. If you like raw milk and raw milk cheese, you can use it to make this attractive party dish as well. Add your preferred herbs and spices. Make the ball and enjoy.

Thursday, January 22, 2015

This is one of my favorite creations! East meets West in a jar of a perfectly green juice. The green taste of kale and celery is nicely rounded with the light sweetness of nashi (Japanese snow pear) and the slight tartness of carambola (star fruit.)

This juice is loaded with chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals and valuable anti-cancer nutrients. Make it as often as you can. The fruits I used have relatively little sugar and will not unbalance your blood glucose. This is something you have to consider while juicing. Depending on your personal health and fitness level, the detoxification process may already be quite demanding. You want to support and nourish you body. And you definitely do not want to experience energy crush.

Ingredients:

4-5 large kale leaves

4-5 celery ribs

1 large nashi

2 carambolas

Method:

Pass all ingredients through a juicer.

Pour juice into chilled glasses and garnish with with slices of carambola. Enjoy in good company!

Alkalizing green detox juice

Tip: Remember to save the leftover juice pulp. Use it to make soup - raw or cooked, vegetarian burgers or raw crackers. Add seeds and herbs. Experiment!

Monday, January 19, 2015

Meyer lemon (Citrus x meyeri) is a citrus fruit native to China. First identified in 1908 by an American explorer Frank N. Meyer, the fruit is believed to be a result of crossing ordinary lemons with Mandarin oranges. Meyer lemons are sweeter and more fragrant that ordinary lemons. Now is the time to get creative since they are in season between December and May.

~ Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette ~

Ingredients:

freshly pressed juice of two Meyer lemons (about 1/4 cup)

1/3 cup virgin olive oil

1 tsp Meyer lemon zest

2 tsp mild raw honey

1/3 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/3 tsp ground dried flowers (optional)

freshly ground black pepper

Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

Method:

Whisk all ingredients into a velvety smooth vinaigrette.

Adjust the taste to your personal liking and use to dress your favorite salad. Enjoy in good company!

This is a basic Meyer lemon vinaigrette that can be used to make variety of dressings. You can add a teaspoon of mustard and some chopped dill; or skip the raw honey and mix in some raw milk yoghurt, crushed garlic, oregano and thyme to make a Mediterranean-inspired dressing or dip.

Winter Cabbage Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

I used this incredibly fragrant vinaigrette on a winter cabbage salad that I made out of chopped Savoy cabbage, purple cabbage and shredded jicama. (If you cannot lay your hands on jicama you can use kohlrabi or a snow pear.) I also added micro-greens and some fresh dill to my salad. The result was quite amazing. A simple winter cabbage salad was completely transformed by this refreshing dressing. It almost felt like summer...

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Pomegranates are in season and you should consider adding them to your diet as often as possible. The fruit comes with so many health benefits that I decided to write an article about it. I will share it with you when it it ready, but now I would like to introduce you to the easiest and cleanest method of de-seeding pomegranate.

I often see people in grocery stores staring at pomegranates and moving on without even touching the fruit. I sometimes suspect that it is not the price that puts people off, but the lack of knowledge about pomegranate. Many people do not know how to open it and what to do with it. I would love to change this. If you are one of the shy shoppers or believe that opening a pomegranate is a very messy affair, here is a tutorial that will forever change your relationship with a pomegranate. This is probably the easiest, the fastest, the cleanest and the most efficient way to de-seed a pomegranate. Enjoy!

~ Tutorial ~

1. Wash the pomegranate and remove all the impurities from the skin. Using a sharp knife, cut off the top and the bottom exposing the airls and the membrane just a bit. Do not cut off too much, though.

2. After cutting off the both ends you will see a white, almost circular, portion of the membrane. It looks like a "plug" of sorts. Insert a tip of your knife at the edge of it and move in a circular motion to cut it out. Gently remove the "plug" and discard it.

3. Using you knife make a few (3-4) incisions on the skin of your fruit. Proceed as if you were marking meridians on a globe. Do not cut too deep. Pull the fruit apart into a manageable chunks.

4. Pour purified cold water into a large bowl. Take one of the pomegranate segments and immerse it upside down in cold water. The arils should be facing the bottom of the bowl. Using a slight pressure bend the segment so that the arils start popping out. Use your free fingers to free all the arils. Some of the arils will come out with the membrane attached to them, some of them will break, but since this happens under water there will be no mess on your shirt or apron, and your counter-top will remain immaculate.

5. Repeat this action until you deseeded all remaining segments of the pomegranate. You will notice that the chunks of white membrane are floating on the surface. Remove and discard them. Also remove all the membranes that are still attached to the arils. I do it under water and allow the membrane float since it is so easy to remove from the surface.

6. After all the membranes are removed use a sieve to discard all water. Rinse the arils with purified water and check if the are fragments of the membrane in the sieve. Remove and discard them. Your arils are now ready to eat. Enjoy!

P.S. Before the pomegranate season is over I will share with you a few of my favorite pomegranate recipes. Until then check the label pomegranate to see what I have already posted. This tutorial will show up again. Simply scroll down to access the recipes.

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

The giant pumpkin might be out of season, but you can still get butternut squash or the Hokkaido pumpkin in most stores. To make this salad you will have to marinade your pumpkin in advance.

Marinated pumpkin is quite delicious. It adds a nice gustatory nuance and crunchiness to this winter salad.

Like any relish it can be used to garnish raw or cooked burgers, sandwiches, and raw or cooked soups. I also use it to make a wonderfully hot, sweet and spicy salad dressing. It can even be added to a smoothie. Give it a try!

Ingredients:

2 cups pumpkin, cut into small cubes

1/4 cup purified water

3 Tbsp raw honey

5 Tbsp raw flax seed oil

1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar

5-6 allspice berries

2-3 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp chopped red hot pepper, seeds removed (use less if you want it less spicy)

There are two ways to prepare the raw marinade. When I first made it I realized that I used too much apple cider vinegar. My "mistake" was very easy to correct. I simply diluted it with purified water and added more raw honey. You may want to experiment a bit and use vinegar to water ratio that suits your taste buds.

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Everyone can benefit from green juice fasting. Regardless of how healthy one’s lifestyle or diet might be, we live in a toxic world. On a chronic basis, we are all exposed to harmful chemicals in our environment. Most foods contain pesticides, preservatives and additives that are difficult for the body to process. Additionally, the air and water supplies of most populated areas are contaminated. Indiscriminate use of pharmaceuticals and habits like alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, and other drugs push the body into toxic overload. Other habits on an emotional/psychological level have a similar deleterious effect. Moreover, the fast-paced multitasking lifestyle that has become the collective norm is extremely taxing on the physiology.

In short, most bodies are being given demands that they cannot sustain. When our bodies become overloaded, elimination processes slow, overworked organs are unable to finish their respective tasks, and toxins become embedded in our systems. The results may or may not be apparent to the naked eye, but inevitably lead to diseases and decrease our capacity to function optimally.

The most common symptoms of Toxic Overload are:

low energy/fatigue

poor concentration/memory

strong food cravings

depression

digestive problems

aches and pains

sugar/caffeine/alcohol/drug dependence

frequent illnesses

excess weight

chronic disease

premature aging

Juice fasting allows the body to divert the energy normally expended on the digestive process and use it, instead, on the eradication of toxicity, acidity, and other bodily contaminants. The Detoxification Program consists of medically supervised green juice fasting combined with detoxification treatments that facilitate cleansing. The 10-day Detox is a 7-day juice fast plus three days live food meals, including the re-introduction of healthy food into the system upon breaking the fast.

Additionally, fasting has long been heralded as a potent state for spiritual evolution. It helps to bring clarity and a feeling of interconnectedness. Daily optional programs such as meditation, yoga, and spiritual discussion offer the opportunity to enhance the journey of self-discovery and expand consciousness. Participants find this an invaluable aspect of the detoxification process.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

If you read my blog on regular basis you probably know by now that I love to use locally grown seasonal produce. From time to time, however, I feel like doing something exotic. The availability of tropical fruit at local grocery stores is very tempting, especially in the middle of a cold winter.

I saw ripe pineapples, papayas and mangoes and could not resist at all. When fruits are ripe they not only have a higher content of nutrients, they are also very sweet. There is no need for any additional sweetener.

Friday, January 2, 2015

Let's start the New Year with something healthy and delicious. As most of my readers know by now, I believe in spontaneous creation. I had a quick look into my pantry this morning and came up with a very healthy and delicious orange and raw cacao smoothie recipe.

I used wholesome ingredients that help you

improve mood and stamina

increase your energy levels

give support to your immune system.

If you are a vegan and do not eat honey you may replace it with a sweetener of your choice. You will, however, deprive your body of the incredible health benefits that no other sweetener can provide.

I used raw, organic maca root powder. Maca is a root vegetable from the radish family. It grows in the mountains of Peru and is known as the Peruvian ginseng. The root is rich in amino acids; vitamins B, C and E; and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus. Maca is used to improve stamina and increase energy levels. It helps improve mood, balance hormone levels and increase libido. Maca may help increase the red blood cells count and reverse anemia.

Process all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. If your blender is not very powerful you may want to press the orange juice first and use it in the the smoothie instead of the whole orange.

worth reading

Today, more than ninety five percent of all chronic disease is caused by food choice, toxic food ingredients, nutritional deficiencies and lack of physical exercise. - Mike Adams

Vitamin B12 for vegans!

Your health is what you make of it. Everything you do and think either adds to the vitality, energy and spirit you possess or takes away from it. - Ann Wigmore

Be Like A Pineapple T-Shirt

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. - Luciano Pavarotti

Why chose raw food?

The raw food diet, also known as the living food diet, is a diet primarily based on pure, unprocessed and uncooked plant foods, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, nuts, dried fruit, and seaweed. While many people on raw food are vegans, some do not necessarily exclude other raw foods such as raw eggs, raw honey, raw milk, meat and fish.

The raw food diet consists of 75 - 100 percent raw foods and may include some foods that are cooked or baked. For a better absorption of nutrients raw diet should also include raw fermented foods.

It is important to understand that heating food above 118°F or 47°C destroys most of the enzymes that normally assist in the digestion of food and absorption of nutrients. On the energy level, cooking is believed to diminish the nutritional value and the "life force" of food thus making cooked and processed foods energetically less valuable to the body.

Proponents of the raw food diet believe it has numerous health benefits, including:

For many people raw food means more than a way to obtain nutrition. It is a joyful lifestyle they embrace consciously, knowing that it will lead them to a better mental and physical health and a much happier life.

Radish Detox Smoothie

Health, excellent or ill, is passed to our children not just through our genes but primarily through our recipes. - Joanne L. Mumola Williams

Affiliate links disclosure

This is a Google ads free blog. To support my work this blog is monetized through my Amazon store, GHC store, and Redbubble store affiliate links. This means that if you were to make a purchase through one of these links, I would receive a small percentage of the sale price. I only link to products I trust and wholeheartedly recommend. Also, if I write a review of a product, I do it because I tried it out myself. I never get paid to write a review. My first priority is always to provide valuable information and resources to help you create positive changes in your life. I will only ever link to products or resources (affiliate or otherwise) that fit within this purpose.Thank you very much for your support!